Difference between revisions of "William Stephenson"
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Stephenson attended high [[school]] in Winnipeg, however left to fight in [[World War I]]. After serving in the trenches and being gassed by Germans he learned how to fly during the period he was recuperating.<ref>http://www.winstonchurchill.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=751</ref> He would go on to transfer from the [[army]] to the Royal Flying Corps. He later earned the Military Cross, the [[Distinguished Flying Cross]] and other decorations. After the war he became a wealthy industrialist with business contacts throughout the globe. | Stephenson attended high [[school]] in Winnipeg, however left to fight in [[World War I]]. After serving in the trenches and being gassed by Germans he learned how to fly during the period he was recuperating.<ref>http://www.winstonchurchill.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=751</ref> He would go on to transfer from the [[army]] to the Royal Flying Corps. He later earned the Military Cross, the [[Distinguished Flying Cross]] and other decorations. After the war he became a wealthy industrialist with business contacts throughout the globe. | ||
| − | Working as a [[spy]] for the British [[government]] in the | + | Working as a [[spy]] for the British [[government]] in the 1930s, he voluntarily provided information about [[Nazi]] [[Germany]] building up its armed forces and [[military]] strength. In 1940, Stephenson was appointed by British Prime Minister [[Winston Churchill]] to set up and run British Security Co-ordination, a sprawling [[New York]]-based intelligence operation.<ref>http://www.trueintrepid.com/CndPress.htm</ref> There he and his agents tracked enemy communications and Nazi sympathizers. He used his title as a British Passport Control Officer to create a secret British intelligence network throughout the Western Hemisphere and would became Churchill's personal representative to [[President]] [[Franklin Roosevelt]]. In 1946 he received the Presidential Medal for Merit, at the time the highest civilian decoration in the [[United States]], given mostly to people who contributed to the effort during World War II. |
Stephenson died in [[Bermuda]] in January 1989 at the age of 93. | Stephenson died in [[Bermuda]] in January 1989 at the age of 93. | ||
Latest revision as of 22:06, September 16, 2016
Sir William Samuel Stephenson (January 23, 1897 – January 31, 1989) was a Canadian soldier, industrialist, scientist, inventor, businessman, and the senior representative of British intelligence for the entire secret British intelligence network during World War II. He has been considered a real life James Bond.
Stephenson attended high school in Winnipeg, however left to fight in World War I. After serving in the trenches and being gassed by Germans he learned how to fly during the period he was recuperating.[1] He would go on to transfer from the army to the Royal Flying Corps. He later earned the Military Cross, the Distinguished Flying Cross and other decorations. After the war he became a wealthy industrialist with business contacts throughout the globe.
Working as a spy for the British government in the 1930s, he voluntarily provided information about Nazi Germany building up its armed forces and military strength. In 1940, Stephenson was appointed by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill to set up and run British Security Co-ordination, a sprawling New York-based intelligence operation.[2] There he and his agents tracked enemy communications and Nazi sympathizers. He used his title as a British Passport Control Officer to create a secret British intelligence network throughout the Western Hemisphere and would became Churchill's personal representative to President Franklin Roosevelt. In 1946 he received the Presidential Medal for Merit, at the time the highest civilian decoration in the United States, given mostly to people who contributed to the effort during World War II.
Stephenson died in Bermuda in January 1989 at the age of 93.
